I'm not an Angel
by Wendelin W
Summary: Bella's life seems to be a dark place, until she meets a new colleague called Edward, and discovers how dark her life can be, and nothing will be the same... A retelling of Twilight. Dark!Edward.
1. Chapter 1

"Goodbye honey. I hope you have great times with your dad."

She closes the window before I have the chance to even say goodbye. Well, are you happy now, mom? I am gone now. All alone in the airport, having to drag around my considerably large lugagge, I have never felt more alone.

From the sunny Phoenix, Arizona, to the rainy Forks.

It has been four years since I last went there, but I can vividly remember the happiest summers I had in my entire life, fishing with my dad and his old pal Bill. Once my mom realized I was having fun and not dying of boredom like she expected, she forbid me to go to Forks.

Now she wants me to go back there. Her new husband Phil travels a lot, and I couldn't because of my education... That, and I no longer have purpose with her: I know she only wanted me living with her to anger Charlie, my dad. But now even he has a wife again, and a little baby girl.

He accepted me readily, reassuring me that me and his new family are going to get together well. I hope so - I fiercely want to. Otherwise I will just be the broken useless doll in the corner, instead of just feeling like it.

Oh well.

I will just find out once it's too late and I'm already there.

But between being miserable at Forks or here at Phoenix, I choose Forks. At least there I won't have to deal with the sun all the damned time. Not to mention I'm not letting much behind: no friends close enough to actually miss me for more than a couple of seconds, no boyfriend either.

I am told to turn off my cellphone once I'm on the airplane, and I do it without much thought. I have no one to call. As the hours go by I see the sky turning from bright blue to grey. Once it's grey I know Forks is near.

Dad goes to pick me up in the airport with his wife and the little girl.

"Hi, you must be Bella." the blonde wife says. Her name is Julia. She shakes my hand and smiles at me; I feel like I just arrived to a bussiness meeting.

"H-hello."

"Is she my new sister?" my little not-so-new sister asks. She looks a bit like me: she has the same wavy, dark brown hair that rules the Swan genes. Only that Alex has a healthy pink tone in her skin. I look like a corpse.

"Yes, she is." dad replies and hugs me tightly. "I missed you, sweetie." He then hold me at arm length. "Oh wow, you grew up."

"Weird would be if I haven't." I say.

Dad doesn't mind my comment. "Here, let me have your luggage. It's going to rain and I want to be at home soon."

The ride home is awkwardly silent, from my part. I have nothing to say, and dad and Julia chat about what they have to buy from the supermarket. They are running out of potatoes apparently, and they have to buy new clothes to Alex, who is playing with a doll sitting at my lap.

I never felt more alien.

Discussing about shopping always involved my mom complaining about having to work so much to sustain me. My father seems rather happy to spend his money on potatoes, however.

Also, apparently they moved to a bigger house. There are two cars parked in the front yard. One is the viature my dad works on (he's the Police Chief of the town) and a big, old and red truck. That would leave any car destroyed in wrecks. Weird, I never thought Julia liked such car.

I have to wait Alex get out of my lap to the muddy grass of the yard before jumping out of the car. Little drops fall from the dark sky. Dad is lucky, soon it'll rain. While he's busy carrying my belongings all alone - he refused help - I say to Julia: "Nice truck."

"Oh, it isn't mine." she replies. "It's a gift for you."

I can't even formulate a sentence: "Wha...?"

"We thought you'd like a way to drive around without depending on anyone. Fortunately, Bill had to sell his truck, so he did cheap for us."

"What happened to him?"

"An accident. He can't walk anymore."

"Oh..."

"Either way, I conviced Charlie to buy it. We are both too busy to drive you places, and you are almost an adult. I heard you have very responsible."

Our eyes meet, and I can tell the truck is to make me less of a burden to them. Julia is just too nice to tell me this to my face. Whatever. I don't have the money to buy a car anyway, and I don't have to stay with them for long. I just need to finish high school, then I can pick a college far away from both my parents. Maybe I'll be happy then.

"Hey, you better come before the rain.." Charlie shouted from the porch. I follow Julia and Alex inside.

The house looks like a family dream. Cozy and homely, with baby green curtains matching the flower wallpaper from the living room. My things are nearby the staircase.

"Come and have dinner." says dad. "You can unpack later."

I don't know if he can tell all I want is to hide right now. I was used with my mother and our tiny apartment. I don't know what to do with the lovey dovey family and their colorful house, with toys spreaded arond on the floor.

Not a word comes out of my mouth at dinner. I just eat my steak with french fries as quickly as I can and hurry upstairs with my lugagge. In the second floor, I guess correctly that the room with the door open is mine.

The walls are painted in light purple, and everything else's colors follows a pattern of darker purple, pink and green. There's a bed, a wardrobe, a private bathroom. The window gives me view from the front yard. On top of the desk, lies a open laptop and besides it, the keys of the truck hold down a note, clumsily written, from my father.

Hope you liked your new home  
Dad

Thanks, Dad.

I loved it.

OoOoO

At least I wouldn't have to hang around the house. My school starts today. I wake up and go downstairs to have my breakfast. The whole family is already reunited at the kitchen table. Julia is flipping pancakes, dad is trying to convince Alex to eat a strawberry from the plate in front of her.

"Good morning." he says. "Come on, eat it, honey..." he mutters, this time to Alex.

Julia smiles to me and continue to make pancakes. I'm completely out of place there, so I grab an apple and a bottle of juice from the fridge.

"I'm going to school." I mutter and go upstairs biting my apple. Once I'm on my bedroom I change clothes and assemble any item I might need in my backpack and go to the truck swallowing down the juice. Not the ideal breakfast, I know, but I just want to be somewhere else.

As I drive carefully through the wet road, I realize I'm certainly not going to a better place. School was never a fun place for me to be, and that won't change now.

Forks High School doesn't resemble a school - too many trees and the buildings looked like lake houses.

All the cars in the parking lot are a lot like mine. Nothing too flashy. I even spot a bycicle. Fifteen minutes later, with a map, my time table and slips for my teachers to sign, I am free to walk around until the time of my very first class, forty minutes away.

I walked until the school lands ended and the forest surrounding it starts. No fences protected the school, so I figure there's nothing dangerous in the woods. They are calm and silent. All that I can hear is the sound of me stepping on dead leaves. I hope nothing in the school rules is against roaming around in the woods. Being caught breaking school rules in the first day won't be very nice.

Suddenly, a branch cracks and fall down somewhere at my right. I turn around searching for something between the trees, barely breathing. Another branch breaks, closer to me this time. Whatver is breaking those branches, is out of my sight.

I take one step back, and trip on my own feet, falling on the floor rather shamefully, probably staining my jeans and my coat with moss and mud. A third branch cracks. I stand up and run towards the school as fast as I can, making my way between the lower branches with my hands.

Three minutes later, I'm inside the school's lands, and it's fifteen minutes before the classes start. Which is why a handful of students fill in a open area with benches and tables.

"Wow, where did you come from?" a blonde girl stands up and asks to me.

I might have leaves in my clothes and hair, not to mention the mud.

"Aah... I'm the new student, Bella Swan."

"I'm Lauren. I heard about you. I just didn't know you would appear from the woods. I'm sure the Chief doesn't live there."

The wonders of a small town. Everyone must know exactly who I am.

"I-I was..." I stutter.

Lauren checked her wrist watch. "Well, you have fourteen minutes before class. What about cleaning up youself before class, wood girl?"

"Uh, that's what I'm going to do."

I walk across the open area, trying not to hear the giggles of everyone sitting there and to hide the blush going up my neck with my hair. The flight to the nearest building is fast. I easily find the girls' bathroom.

The mirror tells me I am a complete wreck. My hair is messy and with several leaves attached to it, I have mud all over me and my breathing is short. I look like a savage. Not seven minutes trying to fix myself cleans up all the mud, but at least the leaves are gone and my hair is back on place. Then I hurry to my Biology class.

I have five minutes and everyone is already there but the teacher.

"Hey there, wood girl." Lauren says out loud from her spot. A girl besides her laughs, and so a couple of other people do. I glance around, searching for an empty spot... There is one, a table far back in the classroom only has a boy with a black hood pulled up listening to music. I put my coat in the hangers nearby the door and walk straight there, looking at my feet, and I sit down, fuming.

The boy giggles. He has his head down, I can only see his black hood.

"I heard in the woods they don't have to ask for permission." he says.

I glare at him.

"Well, I'm so so sorry, sometimes I forget I am in civilization." I retort but don't move an inch.

He openly laughs now and pulls back the hood. I don't expect him to be that handsome, with his ruffled copper hair, deep green eyes and perfectly white teeth, but I keep my scowl.

"Relax, it's just a joke. I'm Edward. And you are Bella."

"Uh, yes."

He smirks warmly at me: "Welcome to Forks, Bella. I suppose we are partners now."


	2. Chapter 2

The Biology teacher comes in: "Good morning, everyone. For those who don't know, I'm Mr. Banner." He looks attentively to me. "Also, welcome Miss Swan. Are you well adjusted there?"

What an odd thing to ask.

"I am. Why?"

Mr. Banner quickly glances at Edward and says: "Nothing, nothing." He then starts writing down something in the black board. I turn around to my "partner", with his hood back up. Edward seems to have a lot of fun playing with his fingers.

"Why-"

"Let us say my fame here isn't one of the best ones." he cuts me off. His lips twitch up briefly before going back to normal. "You'll find out later."

I frown and look to the black board again. Some students stare back to where I'm sitting. Well, clearly Edward has some fame and apparently sitting at his side breaks some sort of unspoken rule. However, it's my first hour in here and I am already called "wood girl". Whatever they think of Edward, I'm not much inclined to give it some, if any, thought.

Though he is a bit weird. He spends the whole class playing with his fingers and muttering the song he's listening on his iPod. One can barely tell he's as handsome as he indeed is with his hood down...

Once the class is over, I put my notebook and biology book on my backpack. I have that feeling that I'm being observed. Edward is looking at me - not in my eyes, but some point a little lower than that - and he's fixated.

"Do I still have mud or..."

My voice snaps him out of his state.

He snorts: "No. What are you talking about?"

"Oh." He's definitely strange. Although I'm decided to befriend him. "I think I should be going... What's your next class?"

"I have Trig. You?"

I checked my time table. "I have English now..."

He doesn't seem as tall as he really is when sitting down, I notice, when he stands up and throws his bag over one shoulder.

"That's unfortunate." he says to me before leaving, hands on pocket and looking down. People glare at him as he walks by.

A boy with a baby face and spiked blonde hair approaches me, then.

"So you are Bella."

"Yes. You are...?"

"Mike. Mike Newton. I hope you aren't having much of a hard time here already."

I glance at Lauren and her two friends, chattering further up the classroom. "No, I'm alright. Hm, can I ask you something?"

"What's up with Cullen, you mean."

"Who's Cullen?"

"Edward."

"Ah... I was going to ask what's up with him."

"His father is a doctor and they moved in a year ago. Apparently Edward had to spend his life on a school for mentally unstable people and is starting a fresh life here after finally responding to his treatment... Whatever that treatment is."

I don't even wrinkle my expression. It has to be just a baseless rumor.

"He looks quite normal to me." Well, not entirely true, but he doesn't look like mentally unstable either.

"Who knows what's going on inside his head?" Mike shrugs. "Anyway, see you later."

"Later." I mumble before he leaves.

The remaining classes until lunch pass in a blur. I don't meet Edward again, nor I meet any new colleagues. They aren't very interested in me, I think. Maybe they were expecting a blonde, tanned and fit sort of girl. I'm a brunnete, pale and scrawny. If I were to meet myself, I wouldn't be much impressed either.

Once lunch time comes I feel relieved, because maybe I can be left alone. Though I'm starving once I hit the cafeteria. I grab a salad, an hamburguer, chips and soda, and leave to somewhere else. There are tables on the cafeteria, but no one with who I can sit. Mike is sitting with his friends, and I'm clearly not welcome there.

The sky is dangerously gray and it's probably going to rain again; that's the weather in Forks: either is raining, or is going to. But I'll take a shot and sit at the open area I appeared later that day. Lauren and her gang are at the cafeteria, so she won't be near to tease me anyway.

The tables there are damp, though I don't mind. With some luck the water will clean the remaining mud in my jeans. Munching on my chips, I look around at the woods and the building further inside the school, and think to myself it's not that bad. In Phoenix there were to many people... If my new classmates are talking ill about me, at least I'm not there to hear.

"Hey."

I flinch when Edward sits besides me.

"I didn't hear you coming."

He laughs. I know him for a couple of hours but I already have the impression he's always laughing at a hilarious inside joke. Well, chances are he does have an inside joke. Mentally unstable is a rather broad term, Edward might as well have multiple personalities or talk with voices in his head.

Still, the whole story might just be a lie.

It's hard to believe when his hood is pulled down again, and little droplets of rain sparkle on his hair.

"You were distracted." he replies, grinning. "Had a nice day here?"

"It could be worst, generally speaking."

"Eh, people in this town are too nosy at times."

"I heard about you and your father." I blurt out. My lunch is forgotten, then. "But I don't think it's true."

He scowled. "Oh, it is. Maybe some parts are fantastically enhanced, but it's true. You don't mind, don't you?"

"No." I assure him. He's way nicer than anybody I met, why would I bother? If he's at a public school means he's stable enough not to shoot himself or anyone in sight.

"I'm not going to shoot anyone so..." All right, he's definitely weird. He changes the subject: "Aren't you going to eat?"

"Oh, yes. And what about you?"

"I ate already. But I can keep you company."

OoOoO

"Glad you made home early." Charlie says as soon as I step inside the house. He's comfortably watching some game on TV. Bill is also there. He aged a lot while I was away... He was such an energic man, maybe having to stay tied down to a wheel chair depressed him.

"Hey Bill."

"You grew up quite a lot!" he observes. "I could go over there and hug you."

I put my backpack aside and go hug him instead. "So you are over for dinner?" I ask.

Charlie snorts. "That, and my new plasma TV."

"That too. I also wanted to see you. Is my old truck functioning well?"

"It is."

The engine might be somewhat deafening, but the radio works and the truck has its charm.

"Well, if you need repair any day, just call me." Bill then looks to a point behind my back. "Or him."

I turn around and spot a familiar face. Maybe it's because he's so alike Bill: they have the same dark golden skin, black eyes, long black hair. Only that the newcomer is young... I take some time to recognize him.

"Oh, Jacob! Are you okay up there?" I mock. He must be fifteen years old, but he's already ten inches taller than me, and I lost my hopes of growing even an inch. He giggles shyly at my joke.

"It's cold..." he says.

It's a bit awkward: the last time I visited Forks, he was on the "cooties" phase. They are the only memories I have of him. It's a bit of a shock to suddenly see a grown up Jacob who probably already find girls somewhat interesting.

Or boys.

Anyway.

Julia breaks up the awkwardness, shouting for us that the dinner is ready. I am the first to go to the dining room, just overwhelmed with that much social contact, all in one day. With the Blacks there I feel more at ease because they reminded me of the time Charlie didn't have a family to take care of.

I'm happy that he's happy and Alex is just adorable but I can't avoid feeling left out...

Alex, by the way, is playing with Jacob's hair.

Charlie helps himself with the stew and cleans his throat.

"So, have you made new friends today, Bella?"

"Hm..." Should I mention Edward? Well, I don't think any of them are going to give any reason to gossip. "I met this guy named Edward, we sit together at Biology."

A tense silence fills the room; the Blacks are the most tense of all. Even Alex understands that something is wrong and stops making any noise.

"I sold a house to his father." Julia chimes in. "He seems pretty decent, the so called Dr. Cullen. I suppose his child is as well."

"I heard Edward is a crazy psycho." Jacob says, rather bluntly.

I don't get angry because of the insentive commentary. The Blacks are descendents of Native Americans which lived nearby the city. The Blacks currently live at a Quilliete reservation, in La Push, not far away from Forks. Jacob studies there too, and so it's unwise to expect a great knowledge on mental health or psychology.

"If he was, he's not anymore." I reply. "He looks pretty normal."

"You can't tell what's going on inside his head, can you?"

Ok, so maybe the visit of the Blacks doesn't end well. We don't speak about Edward again, because it's clear no one is going to change opinions. They talk about him as if he's dangerous or something of the like. I don't think so; but Julia and Charlie are on the fence.

"He doesn't cause any problem." Charlie says, to end the discussion. However the words "not yet" floated in the air after he stopped talking.

Well, with so little evidence on my side, I couldn't argue with anyone about him. It's clear he feels ostracized, but it's still to early to tell if he deserves it or not. Otherwise, he's the only person I actually know at my school, so the Blacks don't have any right to complain about me hanging out with him.

In fact, the Edward issue bothers me so much I take some time to sleep. And my sleep is light. I keep waking up and falling back to sleep, in a state between consciousness and darkness. At one point I simply decide to wake up.

Edward is standing by my window.

A blink and he's gone. The window is closed, and everything is silent.

Maybe I am the crazy one.


	3. Chapter 3

"Did you sleep well?"

Why does everything that comes out of his mouth looks a joke?

"Yep." I reply. Without mentioning I dreamt with him inside of my bedroom. Things shouldn't escalate that quick. I suppose the rules are that we should have three dates first. I doubt I could ever go on a first date, not when Julia and Charlie are so skeptical of Edward.

He was waiting for me in the parking lot. Now he takes the lead towards the school.

"Listen, I understand if you don't want to hang out with me anymore." he says, hand in pockets. He sounds upset, but resigned. "After you heard about the rumors."

"I don't care." I say. "You don't care about me living in the forest." He nods with a smirk and I go on: "Most people think people with mental problems are monsters... But, you know, they are mostly wrong." I have the Blacks in mind when I say this. They are not bad people, however that attitude towards Edward is off-putting.

"You don't know me."

But I will... Right?

"Not yet at least." he adds.

It's too early to go to class, I remember as we walked in silence. Edward takes a deep breath a once more, he speaks: "Can you show me where you were yesterday? In the woods, I mean. Why you were there in the first place?"

"I like it. The silence, the smell... Not to mention I was forty minutes early."

I stop talking, fighting back the urge of spilling about how much I feel left out at home and rather stay away from there. He doesn't ask me why I was early; we arrive at the borders of the school in silence. I am not sure if I should follow the same track of yesterday... I didn't give much thought to whatever was on the forest that day because of the other events, but now I wonder, what was that?

A bear? A deer?

Edwards notices my hesitation: "It's safe here. The worst thing you can probably meet here is a deer."

"Okay then."

We go forth, until the school is out of sight; I didn't make a single curve, so I know all I have to do to return is to turn on my heels. We stop upon a tree that should be centenary. I look up in awe.

"Do you want to climb it?"

"What?"

"So you want to climb it?" Edward asks again, also looking up.

"Are you crazy? This tree is too high!"

"That branch is low..."

He points to a branch that is a couple of feet higher than my head. But that would be less than a foot about his head.

"Easy for you to talk."

"It's easy." He entwines his fingers and bend his knees; his hands are in a height that I can put a foot on them. Although he wears loose hoods that hide his physique, it's possible to tell he's of the tall and lean type. He's not very strong. "I'm not that weak."

"If you say so..." I finally agree and put a foot on his hands. I stretch my knee as his stretches his own, and so I'm on position to grab the branch and climb up, and that' what I do. Then I sit on the branch, fiercely holding myself to the body of the tree. "How are you going to climb up?"

"Don't worry about me."

He jumps and grabs the branch, graceful as a cat. I am still not sure if he can pull himself up using only his arms. I did it, but I was half way through. And he sits on the branch, with a raised brown. Oh wow. He's strong.

"We had to play team sports, like basketball. To help connecting with others."

"You have problems with..."

"A bit. You see, I was adopted. I was found almost beaten up to death, presumably by a relative or parent, in an alley and put on foster care. Carlisle adopted me. At that time, his wife - my mother - couldn't conceive because she had ovarian cancer. When she died, I was still on a mental health institution to heal the wounds of my previous life. The point is that Carlisle decided to move, to forget about our past."

I remain in silence. No answer comes to my mind, and I'm sure he doesn't want my pity. I can see it's hard for him to talk about himself.

"And what about you? What brings you here?" he asks.

"Well... My mom married again and her husband travels a lot. She had to stay home with me, and I could tell she wanted me gone. And here I am."

"Living with your father is any better?"

"Not that much. I'm a third wheel again, but it's better than with my mother."

Saying it aloud brings me some relief... I wonder if Edward feels the same. We remain in silence after that. I only know him for two days now, and found myself confessing things I normally would never utter. This is probably a new situation for him as well, although he probably didn't tell me the whole story.

At least I can tell he'll be my friend from now on.

OoOoO

The next couple of weeks go on the same routine: wake up early, flee from the house as early as possible, talk to Edward until the class begins, watch classes, talk to Edward at lunch, more classes, talk to Edward after classes, go home, have dinner, go to my room and go through my homework until it's time to fall asleep.

Like I said, my other classmates aren't much interested on me and soon the wood girl thing dies out, and no one bothered to make up a new joke about me. That's a win situation for me. Edward also prefers to talk when no one is around, so there are no rumors about us. Gladly.

I fear Charlie won't like it at all... We don't speak of Edward again, and I think the subject is deeply buried. We are discreet, and I don't speak to dad much, and we are all at peace for some time. The weeks slowly pass.

Then the Blacks invite Charlie and me to go fishing at the reservation. He promptly accepts and I do too, since I have no excuse not to go - my homework is always done - and I don't want to be rude with them, albeit their behavior in the last time we met was abhorrent.

"I can barely remember a thing." I say when I jump out of the car, nearby the docks of La Push. Bill and Jacob are already there.

"It has been a long time since you were here." Jacob replies. "I could show you around."

There's an undertone of plead in his invitation. Whatever he wants, doesn't have to do with showing me around... Though I nod, and we left, leaving Charlie and Bill alone to go fish. I remain in silence and after we are far enough not to be heard, Jacob says:  
"Were you offended by what I said?"

"When?"

"You know, at that dinner. Are you upset?"

"A bit, yeah. Edward is my only friend at school, and he's fine enough. It's true that he has his problems, but it's nothing like the gossips going around.. But please don't tell dad or Bill about this." I say.

Jacob says no with his head.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. But how's he like? With you, I mean?"

"He's... He's normal. We talk about things."

"Eat lunch together and all of that?" Jacob asks.

I realize I never saw Edward eating.

"Yes. Everything a friendship entails."

"Right..."

"If it's because the lack of friends, let it be known you can always come here." he offered. He isn't really showing me around, we are just walking back by where I came by car.

I stop walking and stare right into Jacob's eyes.

"You aren't going to apologize, are you? You still think me being friends with him is dangerous and that I should stop hanging out with him." Jacob doesn't reply and I continue: "Why all of this? If his father and doctors think he's ok, it's probably because he is. He is not a crazy psycho!"

He raised his hands in defeat. "You won. I'm very sorry. But promise you will take care, will you?"

"I don't see why I should."

"You will." he says to me. "You will."

"You are just being ridiculous." I hiss and leave.


	4. Chapter 4

The weather grows erratic. In one day, it snows. In the next, there is even a bit of sun, the snow melts. I'm driving carefully because the road has a slick coat of ice. Kind of a lot slippery...

I lived my whole life in Phoenix, Arizona, I have no idea what should I do with my tires to solve the problem. I'll ask Charlie later. Or maybe I should ask Edward when I arrive to school. He lives here for a bit longer than I have...

A smirk sneak in my expression when I think of him. He's a bit closed; he barely talks about himself although he already explained to me why he is like this. I hope one day I'll be as close to him as he already is to me. But it's hard...

We only talk when we are alone, and I can't introduce him to my father. He seems ok with this, but I am not. It's ridiculous that we've been friends for over a month and we can't even watch a movie outside of school together. I'm pretty sure that's what friends do...

Then I realize the truck is sliding out of the road.

I really have to pay attention to my way.

Suddenly a deer comes out of the woods, to stand scared right in front of the truck. My first instinct is to turn the truck around, and I forget about the ice until my truck drifts. It falls over to a side, and my head bangs against the window glass.

OoOoO

Bip.

Bip.

Bip.

"Is she okay?"

My dad's voice is rushed and still, a bit hesitant.

"She's awake, it seems." a man replies. I don't recognize the voice, although it's deep and confident. "My son got her out of the truck."

I open my eyes all of sudden and sit up on the bed. Edward is sitting by my side: his position is casual though his lips are locked and his fists are clenched until I smile to him. He smiles back at me. My head hurts at one side...

Only then I acknowledge the two other men in the room: my dad and the one who is supposed to be Carlisle. He doesn't look much older than Edward... Or much like his father to be honest.

Carlisle has wavy black hair sticking out to everywhere and has sharp angles on his face. If he isn't dressed with the medical attire, I could have thought he's a punk who got into an accident. Edward only looks like him because they both got that "I'm handsome and I don't care" aura about themselves.

And my father looks troubled.

"I came as quickly as possible." he says.

"How long I have been here?"

"A couple of hours." Carlisle replies, taking notes of my vital signs in the monitors at the other side of my bed. "We scanned you and you had a concussion... What's your name, by the way?"

"Isabella Swan."

"Today's date?"

"March, 3th."

Carlisle then sits at the edge of my bed and hold his index finger right in the middle of my nose. He takes it from one side to another, and I follow it with my eyes.

"Eh, it couldn't be very serious. That truck can't go very fast, can it?" he asks.

"Not really." I confess.

"What you are feeling right now? Pain?"

"On the side of my head."

"I will give you some Tylenol and you'll have to stay here until tomorrow.." Carlisle stands up and goes to talk to Charlie: "You can talk to your daughter now."

Edward doesn't leave, however. He already made clear he's staying.

"Are you ok?" Dad asks.

"As fine as I could be."

"I'm glad." He stays in silence for a couple of seconds. "I can't stay for long, but I'll put chains on your tires. The truck is mostly in one piece, Bill will fix the truck for free."

Oh, the truck, the damned truck.

"Ok, dad. Thanks."

With a last look to me, he leaves. I notice he doesn't even acknowledge Edward is there. Once we are left alone, I ask: "What actually happened?"

Edward shrugs. "I got you out of the truck. I decided to jog a little and I saw your truck turned over on the road. I called Carlisle and they sent an ambulance. As you can tell, you were unconscious all along."

"Thank you." I mutter.

"Your father doesn't like me much."

"I don't care. Look, if it were for Charlie I'd be dead, and you saved me. He should be licking your feet."

I could lick his feet, by the way.

He comes to stand right next to me. Apparently he struggles a bit before caressing my temple, brushing his fingers against the curative covering a superficial wound and running his fingers through my hair. His touch is very cold at first, but gradually turns warm. I have a heating blanket, maybe that's why he feels so cold.

"I thought you were dead for a couple of minutes." he whispers.

I look up to make our eyes meet. His green eyes are concerned.

"I'm ok." I assure him. "Just a bit sore, but you heard your father."

It's very weird, that he's touching me like that... In a good way, I mean, but it's the first time he's caressing me. I wish it could have happened without me suffering a potentially deadly accident, but... Well, Carpe Diem.

"Go to sleep." he demands. "You need to rest."

I obey and lay down. His caresses are a sweet lullaby and I soon fall asleep.

When I wake up again, Edward is back at his seat, by my side, with different clothes and damp hair.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"Four in the afternoon."

"You were excused from classes today, I suppose."

"I was. Even if I wasn't, I would stay here anyway." he replies. I never saw him that serious... He is really worried with me. I bury myself on my pillows, trying to hide the blush invading my cheeks.

Since I slept the whole day, he spends the night woken up with me, watching corny movies in the television of the room. I tell him that I am fine and he can go to sleep, but he turns down the offer. In fact, he's not bothered by the lack of sleep.

When the sun rises I have dark circles under my eyes despite the fact I had slept well during the entire day, but Edward looks as fresh as if he just woke up. Maybe he's a night sort of person. Carlisle shows up after my breakfast to change the curative in my temple and give me the last recommendations.

Dad comes to pick me up.

"You are going to rest for one more day."

"But I can go to school." I plead. "I'm just fine, the pain went away and everything."

Truth is I don't want to go home. Edward comes in my defense:

"I can take her to school if that's the case. Carlisle will borrow his car."

"Are you sure, Bella?" Charlie asks, clearly skeptical.

"I am. Thanks Dad."

He glares at Edward. "Take care of her."

"I will, Mr. Swan." He leaves the room and Edward turns to me: "Go change your clothes. I will go talk to Carlisle to grab the keys. I will be back soon."

I do as I am told and change to the pile of clean clothes Charlie brought. I return to the bedroom and Edward is still not there. Ten minutes go by and he's not back. Fifteen.

My patience disappears and I leave to the hallway, looking for him. I don't know which way I should go, but I listen voices to my right, so I follow them. It's more like angry whispers, however. A door down the hall throws open and Edwards appears, twiddling the keys in his hands. Carlisle appears right after him.

The whispers stop. Were they fighting? It seems like it. They are tense. Edward tries to hide it by smirking. Carlisle wishes me a good day and turns on his heels to leave.

"What happened? Were you fighting?"

"Oh, it's nothing... He's just worried." Edward replies. "He's not sure about letting me drive his car on this ice. He doesn't have chains either and he's afraid of another accident. But I'm a careful driver and I wouldn't hurt you under any circumstance, of course."

I frown. His words carry some sort of hidden meaning... Like everything else he says about himself, although mostly it sounded like jokes. This time he made it sound much more serious than it actually is.

"I know you will be careful." I say, trying to make him more at ease.

"Good."

We arrive at Forks High School considerably later than normal, which means a lot of students are walking up and down everywhere. Even though there are less students in Forks - three hundred and a bit, three times less than in Phoenix - I started to get used to be alone.

Now that I'm with Edward, and he's without a hood for once, people stare at me... At us much more. They must have heard about the accident, but they certainly don't care. However this time I have nothing to hide. My dad has to be ok with me befriending Edward now.

Edward himself is less stiff around me. Our arms brush against each other as we walk, and he doesn't mind that when otherwise he would walk more distanced and put his hands on his pockets.

Some people form small groups in front of some walls. Girls mostly, and they giggle and whisper to each other when they leave. Mike Newton is walking several feet in front of us...

"A minute." I say to Edward and jog to catch up with Mike. "Uh... What's all this?"

"The Girls' Choice Dance." he replies. "It's two weeks away."

"Oh. Thanks."

Then I return to Edward's side.

"So...?"

"Girls' Choice Dance."

"Hm. You don't like dancing, do you?"

I wrinkle my face. "Not really."

"We could go to Seattle and spend the day there, instead." he suggests. "I suppose you would like to visit a decent bookstore."

Yes, I would. I left all my books at Phoenix - not to mention spend a day with Edward, far away from Forks will do both of us some good.

"I'd love to."


	5. Chapter 5

Edward and I, we are more in the open as the days pass. However that encited a new array of rumors against us. The main one is that we are dating... Unfortunately it brings some attention upon Edward. My visible closeness to him apparently showed everyone he isn't a monster or anything of the sort, and now the girls started to see him in a different light.

The light I saw him from the day one, actually. Although I don't feel threatened by it in a bit: Edward makes it rather clear he's not interested in anyone. I'm not sure if I am the exception to the rule.

Either way, I have been constantly thankful for the accident. My truck is still fixing, and Edward picks me up at home everyday. Charlie and Julia loose up a bit about him; even a suggestion of inviting him over for dinner was made.

One day, exactly a week before the dance, two girls approach me when I'm going to the gym for my class. Their names are Jessica and Angela, if I recall well.

"Hi Bella." Jessica greets me as if she talked to me everyday. We talked once in a while in the classes we had together, but only in a professional level.

"Hey you two. Going to the gym, I suppose.

"Yeah. Hmm, hey... Just wanted to ask you-"

"I'm not dating Edward." I reply.

"Not yet." Angela chimes in. "I mean, I've noticed he picks you up at home... Have you invited him for the dance? He never participates in anything in group ever since he came here, I wonder if he's up to start now."

"No." I say. Talk about privacy. "Oh, here's the gym."

They are not the only ones trying to know what's up between me and Edward. At the weekend of the Dance, Jacob shows up with my truck, now completely fixed. Charlie even offers to pay, but Jacob refuses, saying that the damage wasn't big anyway.

Then Julia invites Jacob to dinner once again, but we still have a couple of hours, so I try to be a good host and we go watch some TV.

"I heard you are dating Edward." Jacob says after a good half an hour of silence.

"Just senseless gossip." I reply. But I'm not satisfied with the answer. "What does it have to do with you? What if I date him?"

Maybe I could consider our trip to Seattle a date. Maybe.  
Jacob rubs his forehead. "How am I going to explain...?"

"Just spill it. I can take it."

He looks so troubled... Oh wait. He's not going to say he's in love with me, is he?

"Let me show what I did to your truck." he says, standing up. I follow him with my keys in hands.

"Try opening the doors. Both of them."

"Where is this going?" I ask.

"I'll explain once you do it." One door is normal, the door at the passenger's side is very easy to open, however. "I had to replace the door. Because it was ripped off the car."

"So. What's the point?"

"When Edward found you, he was alone. And took you out of the car by the door that was ripped off. Only the ambulance came to pick you up. If you check the police records, no rescue team was sent."

"You are not suggesting he ripped the door of the car, are you?"

Jacob's voice is just a whisper when he says: "Think about it. Have you seen him eating? Or sleepy? Or tired? Is he warm when he touches you?"

"What does that have to do with anything? Jacob, I'm not going to discuss this with you, that's just plain ridiculous! What are you suggesting?"

He gives up, then.

"You know what? Forget what I said."

I don't. Because it always striked me as odd that I eat around him, and I never saw him eating, and he always refuses food. His touch is really cold, but what's Jacob trying to tell me?

"I won't." I say. Jacob is holding the door knob of the front door. "Not until you spill out."

"Then don't. I suppose some people have to see for themselves."

"See what for myself?"

"Rumors always have some truth in them. Think about it."

OoOoO

I'm so bewildered I'm unable to sleep that night. Thinking about the questions Jacob made, it's clear he wants to convince me Edward is something mythical. Rip off the door of a car it's something only a inhumane force could do. Especially the door of an old truck.

The first creature which comes to my mind is that Jacob is trying to convince me Edward is a vampire. Which is ridiculous. Vampires apparently can't go out in the sun, and Edward doesn't seem to be bothered by it at all. Jacob can't honestly be trying to convince me of the existence of vampires.

What if Edward feels cold easily and doesn't want to eat in front of anyone? That just makes him who he is. Which is a human being. Not vampire human being, that is. I stir restless in my bed, then I decide to turn on the laptop and see if there is some game online I can play until I'm tired enough to pass out.

And I do pass out a couple of hours later, using the keyboard as a pillow since I'm lying down on my bed. Somehow I wake up with my laptop closed and my head on the right pillow. I wonder if I did it myself while asleep... I stop wondering when I check the clock and I'm terribly late. Edward is supposed to come pick me up in twenty minutes.

At least I had separated a nice outfit so I just have to run for the bathroom and tidy myself up - which takes fifteen minutes. The next five I spend swallowing down a pancake with some juice and then Edward arrives at the front door.

He suddenly stiffens when I sit down at his side and look into his eyes.

"Good morning." he says then, and starts the car again.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Have you looked which bookstores you want to visit?"

"Not really. I think we should roam around for a bit and see what shows up."

Edward is still stiff and uncomfortable with something. A line between his brows tell me he's concentrated on something else other than the road. I saw him driving for two weeks, he doesn't drive with a focused expression...

I have three hours and forty minutes of his silence, until we arrived to Seattle. The first bookstore we go is not far away from where we arrived.

Seattle Mystery Bookshop..

Spooky.

The bookstore is located in a grey-bricked building, at Cherry Street.

Edward goes far away from me when he enter the shop; I don't go after him. Maybe it's too overwhelming for him. A big leap for a person who didn't even like to touch, several days ago. I hope he'll loosen up soon.

Walking between the aisles, a brown hardcover calls my attention: Quiliette Mythology. It reminds me of Jacob nonsense of the day before. I pick it up out of curiosity and open in the summary. Soon I find what I am looking for...

The Cold Ones p. 17

The Cold Ones are a tale parallel to the common myth of vampirism. According

to natives, the Cold Ones are reckless and selfish creatures, made that way due

to their supernatural powers: inhumane strength and lack of human needs

(food, water, breathing); it is said the Cold Ones are corpses reanimated by

another Cold One.

As a cautionary word for all humans out there: the Cold Ones aren't very

different from a common human being. It takes skill and observation to

know when there's a Cold One between us.

The photo underneath the text is that of a man with pale skin, red eyes and long fangs. Beautifully threatening...

A cold hand grabs my shoulder and I flinch.

"Oh, Edward."

"Found anything good yet?"

"This book." I close the book and show to him. "You know, a great friend of my father lives in La Push. It's interesting to learn more about their mythology."

He grabs the book and skim through the pages.

"But do they really believe they are shape shifters?" he asks, with the book opened at a page I cannot see. Though certainly it's about some shape shifting myth.

"I don't know. It's not like we talk about it."

Although they certainly believe on the Cold Ones, whoever they are. Or Jacob is just trying to separate me from Edward, and that's not going to happen. His attempts are ridiculous at best. It was true he changed the door of my truck, but he might be lying about why he did it. To for once and all debunk that theory, I decide to ask Edward about the door.

"Hey, I want to ask you something about the accident."

He stiffens again.

"Sure. Let's just purchase this and go sit down somewhere." he replies. We purchases the book and walk down the street to an Italian Cafe just around the corner. It's a small and cozy restaurant. Edward picks a table for two inside, and pulls the chair for me to sit to then sit across the table.

A waiter comes.

"Good afternoon. Welcome to Cafe Bengodi, what can I bring you?"

"I want a Coke, please. What about you, Edward?"

"Nothing, thank you."

We remain in silence until the Coke arrives. Then I take a deep breath and ask: "How my truck was when you found me?"

"Turned over. Why?"

There we go, tense Edward again.

"Because... Well, the passenger door had to be replaced, and I don't know why, since it turned over to the motorist's side. Jacob said it was ripped off, but how could this have happened? I think he's lying. Though forget I asked it, it's obvious he's making it up. Either way, the new door works wonderfully."

My curiosity is not quite dead, however. My father can give me a much clearer picture of what happened - he has the police records. The subject bothers Edward so I don't insist on it. Still I need to get the truth out of this one. I don't know what happened besides what I witnessed, I didn't see the truck either, not until it was completely fixed.

And I just need to prove Jacob wrong instead of just pointing out how ridiculous his theory is.

Then I order a sandwich for lunch - Edward refuses any food - and we leave the small restaurant half an hour later. The rest of day goes eventful...

Except that I am more aware of Edward's cold touch and that he doesn't seem to get hungry wherein my stomach is rambling when the night falls down.

We drive off to Athenian at the Pike Place market. I order fish and chips with another Coke, Edward doesn't order anything.

"You ate nothing the whole day." I observe.

"I'm not hungry." is all he says.

He spends the dinner playing with his fingers, something I didn't see him doing in a long time.

"Are you uncomfortable?"

"I wanted to tell you something, but I'm not sure of the best way to do it. I realized it since the accident." I keep silent. Is he going towards where I'm thinking? I blush. "And the thing is..." He gazes me at my eyes then. "I think I love you. And I don't know what to make of it."

An answer doesn't come to my mind. He said it so bluntly that I'm unaware of how to react.

"That's because I don't think we should be together." he adds.

Then I react: "What do you mean?"

"It's difficult for me to bond, as you already know. There will be boundaries. I'm fine with touching, but not sure about kissing. It'll take some time. And you deserve someone better than me. Someone who can give you everything you need."

"And what if I need you?"


	6. Chapter 6

Who cares about what Jacob thinks?, I think upon seeing the Quileute Mythology book, while organizing the books I bought on top of my desk. I love Edward, he loves me. Albeit our relationship isn't anywhere close to normal, I don't mind. It's all a bit endearing, and taking things slowly doesn't bother me. I'm not used to have a boyfriend either.

Wow.

A boyfriend.

Coming to Forks was the best decision I ever made.

OoOoO

By the end of the week, everyone in the school knows we are dating. When Edward said he was fine with touching, he really meant he was fine with touching. And then other people end up knowing as well.

When I arrived home from school, on Thursday, Charlie and Julia are especially serious. Alex is just normal, doing what little kids do.

"So I have heard some news." Charlie starts when I sit down at the table.

I decide to cut down the chase: "You already know I'm dating Edward, don't you?"

"I talked to Dr. Cullen as well."

"And...?"

"He is aware of it. He says it's a great step in Edward's recovery and that I should not worry about anything." Dad is more like explaining this to himself. "But if anything you don't like happens, you can tell me or Julia about it."

"Sure. Thanks."

He knows nearly nothing, of course. Firstly, Edward would never do something I didn't like and secondly, we are very well behaved for two seventeen years old. It makes me feel like a five years old instead, however I just want Edward to be comfortable.

But then again, Dad is not the biggest enemy of our relationship...

I live two weeks in Heaven. I have a boyfriend with whom I can escape of all my problems, school is slightly more bearable, and everything is running smoothly.

Until...

It's eleven p.m and Charlie interrupts my midnight snack at the kitchen, fully clothed and not looking sleepy in a bit.

"Going somewhere?" I ask while serving myself some more ice cream.

"A murder happened at Port Angeles. We are, uh... Very worried that the killer might be around Fork or hidden in La Push. The victim was found with all her objects intact. That means we are dealing with a crazy one; I've never saw one in my entire life."

"A murder?"

I didn't even hear of crime in Forks, let alone a murder.

"A psycho. This is what it seems to be. The victim was found without a drop of blood in her body."

"Oh, wow."

"Check the windows." he says before leaving.

That's what I do immediately, although the danger of a psycho roaming around isn't what strikes me the most. Without a drop of blood in her body. Does this means what I think it means? Was the blood... Sucked?

Under the mess in my desk, the Quileute Mythology book is still distinguishable. I pick it up and skim through until page 17. The Cold Ones.

Ha.

As if.

Probably that's what Jacob will think.

I double check if my windows are closed before going to bed.

The murder is on the headlines in the very next day. Only Julia and Alex are at the breakfast table. Julia is reading the newspaper with a line between her brows.

"Is Dad back yet?" I ask.

"No. But he already called, he said he's fine. As fine as possible, I mean. There are no evidences of the guilty person so the Police Stations of Forks and Port Angeles are very busy."  
"Should he be discussing these details with us?"

"It doesn't matter, because it's on the newspaper."

She slides the newspaper for me, and turns out she's right about what Charlie told being on the newspaper... Later, before going to school, I have the urge to call Edward and ask him if he saw the news. I punch his number on my phone.

Then the monochord feminine women of the phone company tells me about his number not existing. I try again, paying attention to get it right, and the result is the same. Maybe he give me the wrong number in accident. Either way I'll see him before classes, so that doesn't worry me.

It does start to get worrying when he doesn't show up to class. Any class. Mike, Angela, Jessica... No one saw him. After school I drive to the Hospital to see if I can talk to Carlisle, and, surprise surprise, he isn't there either.

Not only that, but the gentle lady on the counter even adds with a snicker:

"You won't be seeing him around any time soon. Watch the news tonight."

"What do you mean...?"

"He's now a suspect of the murder that happened last night at Port Angeles. He disappeared, he and his son." The stress she put in the word son makes clear she never swallowed down the story. For what I can recall of Carlisle, he did look too young to be Edward's father, but then again, I know Edward's adopted.

Still.

There's something wrong. Edward couldn't have done it. Meaning IF one of them did it, it was probably Carlisle... Wait. I can't really be considering that they really did anything. Carlisle looked up for Edward even though he had his problems, and Edward... I'm sure neither would do such a thing.

When I get back home, I'm so distressed all I want to do is curl up in my bed and think of nothing; although I want to believe Carlisle and Edward are innocents, I can't come up with a reason as to why they disappeared so quickly and unexpectedly. Another reason, other than the police's reason.

Some things are just hard to digest. Part of me knows that it all makes perfect sense, and another says it doesn't make any sense and that I'm probably in a wonderful dream that turned into a terrible nightmare within a second.

I just don't understand.

This denial state causes me to become extremely non-functional. Two days later, I have only left my room to eat, even though I am aware I should just focus on other things and move on from Edward somehow. But unfortunately, I cannot move on from things I do not fully understand or comprehend.

Especially because they are still missing, and there are no evidences of anything, so they - Carlisle and Edward - might as well be innocent. Why are they on the run if they are innocent is my question, which goes without an answer because there is no possible way or scenario in which they are innocent and still have to run away from Forks.

By day three someone comes visit me.

"Bella, can I come in?"

It's Jacob. He was mostly right about Edward all along; I suppose I have to apologize. If only I had listened to him, I wouldn't be in such situation.

"Sure."

Hesitantly, he opens the door, comes inside and sits at the edge of my bed, where I'm curled up with a bag of chips, the only thing I have been able to put down, mostly because of zero effort involved.

"Charlie told me you haven't been doing ok."

I raise an eyebrow. "You think? I'm... I don't even know."

It's true that we barely know each other however Jacob saw how much I was infatuated with Edward, and he can see right through me. No point in not voicing what he already knows.

"I know. I'm just glad he didn't hurt you."

Tears start to creep up in my eyes. Jacob's presence is comforting, and also a catalyst for me to process what I am fighting back this whole time: my dream was a nightmare. I escaped unscathed, and that was much more than I should expect.. How... Stupid I am.

I crawl to close to Jacob and wrap my arms around his waist, burying my head on his chest. He is unexpectedly warm and welcoming. I let the tears flow.

It's bittersweet: with Edward I thought I had no one but him, now that I am without him, I realize that are other people who care about me. When Jacob leaves, I feel much better - so much that I get up and go have dinner with Charlie, Julia and Alex.

Still I decide to take the rest of the week off school; now everyone will talk about me, I want to let the dust settle down. Which doesn't mean I want to stay locked in my room all alone for another several days, so another decision of mine is paying Jacob a visit in La Push.

Staying around trustworthy people is the best I can do right now to get out of this hole. No other suspects of the murder showed up; I ought to accept the cold, hard truth, even though I can't stop myself from fondling and carefully keeping my scarce memories with Edward.

This should go away soon enough.


	7. Chapter 7

When the weekend arrives, I feel much better about everything and decide to go to La Push and visit Jacob. Dad tells me to take care and just in case, I put a baseball bat besides me in the truck before leaving home.

When I arrive at the warehouse Jacob uses as a garage, only his legs and feet are visible, under an old deep blue car.

"Hey."

He slides out of underneath the car, all sweaty and dirty with grease. I should have warned him that I would show up, in a second thought.

"What's the bat for?" he asks me as he stands up.

"We are going to play, of course."

Not exactly the reason I brought the bat with me, but I don't want to spend the entire afternoon fixing cars... Although playing baseball shouldn't be much better.

"Great. I just need to..."

"Take a shower, yeah."

His house isn't far from the warehouse, and spend some time talking to Bill on the porch while Jacob cleans himself up.

"Glad you came to give this old man a visit, Bella. For one moment, I thought you were angry at me."

"Well, I admit I was a bit mad at first. But... Funny how things ended up, right?"

"Very... Funny." Bill says, letting very clear he doesn't find this whole situation funny at all. "Either way I think we can breathe from now on. It won't happen again."

Once more the Quileute wisdom. I'm going to practice listening to what they say, especially Bill; he has seen much more of the world than I have. He ought to know a bit more than me...

"How did you know?" I question. "How could you tell Edward wasn't good news?"

"Some seeds aren't born to flourish. It doesn't matter where they come from, but no matter how much you water them, they won't grow into a plant. I understand that Dr. Cullen decided to give the boy another chance, and I can say I myself would commit the same mistake, but there is a slight difference between giving a person another chance and trusting them blindly as if they never did any wrong."

Makes sense.

"We can all learn from our mistakes." he adds. "I hope you learned something."

"Listen to the Blacks." I reply. "That, and don't get too involved with people you barely know."

Bill laughs. "That's a very good lesson."

Soon Jacob is back, clean and nice smelling. We play for a couple of hours in clearing nearby the lake, then two others appear: one is the tallest person I've seen, the other is a couple of inches shorter than Jacob, and even leaner.

"Quil, Embry." Jacob greets them with a pat in the back.

"Mind if we join you?" the shorter one says. He's Embry, the taller one is Quil, apparently.

The game turns brutal, then. They just don't play fair and when we called it quit, I'm damp with sweat, with a nice coat of mud all over my clothes and hair. Gladly I'm not much different from anyone else.

I try to catch my breath while walking back to the Black's house. "That was... Interesting."

"You should come around more often." Quil says, panting as I am.

Embry smirks. "Maybe one day you will even catch up with us."

"Shut up, the difference of points wasn't that big!" Jacob says.

Embry only coughs in response, though his cough closely resemble the words "sore loser."

Oh well, that is fun. I surely will come back for more soon - I realize that for three hours I haven't wallowed in self-pity and didn't think of Edward not even once. the sun us half way down when we arrive to the Black's house, and Bill is waiting for us in the porch, along with two other members of the tribe. The Clearwater couple, if I recall well. Seth and Lea.

They were heatedly discussing something and apparently changed subjects when we got close.

"So we are running out of fish." Billy says when I'm close enough to hear what they say. It doesn't seem like something to discuss passionately about... "Bella, do you remember the Clearwaters?"

"I do. Long time no see, eh?"

Seth greets me with a tight hug.

"You were this size last time I saw you." he says, gesturing my former height with his hand. Apparently he doesn't mind the mud and the sweat.

"Sorry I disappeared, it was out of my hands." I reply. "Hm... You know what? I should be going if I want to catch dinner at home. I don't want to drive in the dark, not since..."

Bill nods."We understand. Maybe when the surroundings are safer you can come over for dinner."

"I'm taking this as invitation, ok?"

I give Jacob a quick hug before leaving.

The sky is fully dark when I'm half way from Forks. My visibility is very poor and still I catch a black blur running in the woods with the corner of my eye. I push the accelerator with my foot and the truck's engine complains loudly, though I don't listen to it. All I want is to go home safe and sound.

Then I'm propelled forward towards the front glass. The truck just stopped running. I turn the keys again, the engine roars and I can hear the friction of the wheels on the concrete, but the truck doesn't go. I grab my baseball bat and turn off the truck. Maybe it's something on the engine.

Chills run down my spine when I jump to the road. It's very very cold, and my breath turns into grey smoke before my eyes.

The hairs of my neck stand up. I'm not safe, there's something close. Then I feel a cold breath on my neck, and turn around with my bat ready to beat whatever is behind me. It's a blonde man, who stops my assault and takes the bat off my hand. In front of my eyes, he simply transforms the bat into small pieces using only his hands.

Only then I realize: his eyes are of the color of blood.

OoOoO

When I open my eyes, everything is pitch black. Ropes pressure my wrists, ankles and torso: I'm bound to a chair. It takes sometime for the memories flood my mind.

Ok.

So apparently I was kidnapped by a blonde man who has red eyes.

Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. It's perfectly possible someone came out of the woods to kidnap me, however that this person broke a baseball bat using his bare hands and has red eyes must be just my imagination doing its thing.

Nevertheless, I shall not panic. Charlie will notice I haven't arrived home yet, and then the kidnapper will get himself in a very serious problem. All I have to do is to play nice for awhile. Suddenly a lamp on top of my head turns on, and I'm blind for a couple of minutes until my eyes adjust to the light.

I'm in a wood cabin, quite possibly at a unreachable part of the forest between Forks and La Push.

"Who could have known such a meaty opportunity would pass me by?"

The man is strolling back and forth, somewhere behind me.

"Bella...Swan. Let me introduce myself: I'm James, and I will be your creator."

"Excuse me?" I blurt out before a second thought.

He walks to stand before me. Turns out I'm right; he does have red eyes. Which means he also destroyed my bat with his hands. I don't want to think about the implications of that.

"You don't... You don't know?" he asks me.

"About...?"

"You don't know." he decided and then laughed. "Weird, because you were dating one. How the fuck you don't know? Was he hiding from you? Of course he was, how silly of me."

I let him monologue - I can't make a sense out of his words, but he looks manic, surely it must be an hallucination.

"Nevermind. You'll find out soon enough." James sniffs the air a couple of times. "The werewolves are nearby.."

"What? Werewolves?" After a moment of reflection, I add: "How do you even know they are coming?"

James shrugged: "They smell badly, I can feel it from very afar."

Alright, the whole situation is just ridiculous. He's clearly mentally unstable. Ridiculous and dangerous, I remind myself. These types are often unpredictable. Though I hope my chances of going out alive will increase if I play along.

"Anyway, I suppose you are feeling a little lost here, aren't you?"

"A bit, yes."

"Does this ring a bell?" he asks and two fangs appear in front of his canines, coming from the inside of his mouth, like snake's fangs.

Alright.

Don't panic, Bella...

Don't panic.

The worst thing about it is that I know he's not bluffing or something: I saw him destroying the bat with his hands. And he mentioned... I was dating one? I was dating a vampire. Edward. Maybe the sudden realization showed on my face, because James smirked.

"But... But his eyes are deep green." I argue. Very brave for someone who's locked up with a mythical being and bound to a chair.

"Are they really? Even without the contacts?" he questions with raised eyebrows.

Alright. Where are the other mythical beings who are not interested in sucking my blood to save me? I could use a pack of werewolves right now; especially because if I am correct, the pack is formed by the Quileutes living at La Push reservation. I read about it, but never thought it wouldn't be just gibberish, and that my life would depend on it.

While I so patiently wait, unfortunately I have to engage conversation with my so lovely kidnapper; so I say: "So that woman who died without blood. Whose fault it was?"

"Mine."

James starts to pace back and forth in front of me, clearly excited. Most likely he just kidnapped me to piss off the Quileutes, even if I am not sure what are the dynamics between werewolves and vampires.

"And why are you doing all this? What are you going to do to me?"

"The dogs soften up, didn't they? Allowed two vampires to live in Forks, one even opened up people in the hospital, in surgery tables." Carlisle. "This same one created another one to keep under his wing, and I am doing the same.

"But, oh, they are different. They don't drink human blood, only animal's blood." James says with a spoonful of irony. "Right. Do you know how hard being so thirsty all the time, with only short time of relief?"

That was why Edward didn't let me kiss him. Was he afraid he couldn't resist...?

"Enough is enough."

James stands behind me and holds me on place by putting a incredibly strong hand on my shoulder. I stay very still - I know how much damage these hands can cause to me. He rips off the thick ropes with too much ease. Who knows, maybe Jacob was right about my door being ripped off.

Who knows, maybe I'll be a vampire myself in a couple of hours.

Not that I have the slightest desire to; bound to eternity with the inner desire of killing innocent humans to satisfy my thirst isn't appealing to me. However, it's not like I will have a choice if I am not saved.

I wish I wasn't so pathetically weak.

James makes me stand up once the ropes are gone, and holds me close against him with an arm across my neck. He's tense, much like Edward tensed up when he touched me for the first time: he wants to do it in front of the Quileutes, though he's having problems resisting.

All I can do is hope he does.

Strangely, I'm not scared. Ok, maybe vampires and werewolves exist and my life turned out to be much more fantastic than I expected but... I'm not going to die. Turn into a monster, maybe, but then again, I can be like Carlisle and Edward. Can't I...?

A gigantic wolf busts the door open. Other four follow him, although they stop once they see James is using my body as a shield.

"Oh, hello." James says. "You all should take a shower."

The one leading the pack growls in response. He's the second biggest, but one of the leanest, with deep drown fur and yellow eyes. I know who he is. Jacob.

"And now for the biggest attraction." James adds and I feel two pinching pains in my neck, and the warmth of my blood. And a strong burning pain irradiating from the wounds. I close my eyes and scream.

I'm not sure what happens next: all I know is that James is pulled back by something and thrown across the cabin with so much force the wood wall breaks, and the wolf pack has to leave the cabin to chase after James. I fall on the ground, sweating cold. The pain is spreading slowly, it already hit my arm.  
"Someone has to suck the venom." Carlisle says. "I... I can't do it."

"I..." Edward mutters.

"Quick!" I shout in convulsion. My arms and legs are spasming without coordination. .

Lips touch my neck and suck the blood. The pain starts to slowly go away, the convulsion lessens. Though again a pair of fangs rip my skin and I fade away.

A.N.: It's far away from bring over, btw. I shrunk the plot of Twilight to be half an arc of my fanfic.


	8. Chapter 8

"When will she wake up? It has been two days." Charlie's concerned voice says.

"Soon enough." Carlisle replies. "It was a big trauma for her and her body. She's not comatose, just sleeping. Her brain and everything else is woking perfectly."

I open my eyes and with some effort, I sit up. Carlisle smiles with a hint of relief: probably he wasn't very sure about my state..Charlie approaches me and kisses my forehead.

"Are you feeling well?"

I try to move my neck and it hurts. Ot must be a consequence of having two pair of fangs cutting through your skin in one day. The funniest fact about this is that one of those fangs belonged to my boyfriend. Former...? I don't even know; I will figure it out once I am left alone.

"As well as possible." I reply.

Charlie doesn't seem distraught as I am. Surely he is unaware of the whole story...

"Good. We are doing all we can to catch the kidnapper."

Carlisle, on the background points to Charlie with his head and says no with it. So Charlie doesn't know. Though I am unaware of what Dad does knows, I touch the curatives in my neck.

"I can't quite remember what happened? What's this in my neck?"

Dad stutters. "I-I'm not sure if I should be telling you this."

"I want to know, dad."

"Well, the kidnapper tried to kill you with a knife and... He almost did it." Julia and Alex's arrival interrupts Charlie.

For what I can remember of what happened, someone had to be a very good liar. First off I almost turned into a vampire and was saved before police's arrival. Even if they were close at the time it happened, how could they miss the five gigantic wolves, probabbly ripping a vampire to pieces?

Alex climbs to my bed and comes to sit by my side; I wrap an arm around her and smell her nice smelling hair. I wonder how Carlisle is feeling right now. Does he have the urge to attack Julia or Charlie? Maybe baby blood is a bit more appetizing?

If he can perform surgery, I suppose he's very good at suppressing it.

"We were very worried, Bella." Julia says.  
Her words don't sound very sincere, however. I was out of the house most of the time, and she poured more attention to her own daughter. By "we", she meant "Charlie". I don't care, though. I can't bring myself to say she is part of my family although she is. When I think of family, I think of Jacob, Bill and Charlie. Alex may be that cute distant cousin I see twice a year.

"I know." I finally reply.

Carlisle checks his wrist watch. "Well, that's enough for today. Bella has to rest. You can visit her for longer tomorrow depending on how quick she recovers."

"Come on, Alex." Julia calls. With a last concerned glance, Charlie leaves behind his new family.

I wait a few seconds before asking: "What the hell happened? " And then a few more questions come to my mind: "Is James dead? How did you lie to the police, and why did you disappear? How did you show up with Edward right on time?"

Edward. I suppose he lost control when he sucked my blood; I can't bring myself to get angry at him. He saved me.

Carlisle sighs and sits by the edge of my bed. "The pack killed James, indeed. Though for the police he's still alive. I suppose I should start with the beginning: I thought Edward attacked that woman. It was James, but at the time, no one knew another vampire was in town, and Edward had no alibi, so to speak, so I locked him up in a place far away from here."

"Why did you think it was him?" I ask. "Other than the lack of evidence proving otherwise? He dated me, I think it's pretty clear he can control himself."

"Thing is I'm not sure he can. He's a young vampire. Only 75 years of it... Not to mention he spent the first 20 years feeding of human blood. Once we taste what it is like, it's harder to control. I tried get him not to taste it all, but he rebelled and ran away. I thought he had rebelled again and locked him up. But then you were kidnapped, and Jacob, as wolf, smelled James on your truck.

"Bill was smart and called me: with you, James could stop any attack... Unless someone sneaked upon him. He's a tracker, very sensitive to smells, and it's easier to overwhelm him. Werewolves do smell strongly for vampires... Their smell covered mine and Edward's, so he didn't see us coming..."

He takes a deep breath. "Though Edward did lose control and bit you. He didn't inject any venom but it was a bit hard to take him off you. You lost quite a bit of blood."

"But he saved me." When you couldn't, I wanted to say, but refrained from doing so. Even so, Carlisle picked that up.

"I suppose the same could have happened to me." he says. "You already forgave him, I suppose."  
I nod.

Carlisle stands up. "He wants to see you. But like I said, you need to rest and replenish the blood. Tomorrow you'll have a full day: the Blacks also want to show up."

"One more thing: how did you convince the police?"

He hesitates before replying.

"I suppose that... See, every vampire something special, that only belongs to him. Funny how my power and Edward's are quite opposite. He can read human minds, including yours. Especially yours." Oh wow. "And I can modify them. Again, I could do this to you as well, but that would be unethical because of your relationship with Edward. I was pressuring him to tell you as quickly as possible. You needed to know exactly what you were doing. Now you know... Think well before taking any decision."

With that, he leaves.

Well...

I just don't know what to think of anything. Getting mad at Edward for biting me is something impossible. Surely he won't have to suck my blood ever again; not to mention I'm relieved he didn't do anything. Now, he can read my mind. That's a whole other issue and probably a great privacy problem. He knew Jacob tried to warn me about him being a vampire. He knew everything about me, and much more...

He never used that against me, however.

That's just too much for me to process. I'd rather follow the other advice Carlisle gave me: to rest. To black out, more importantly. I could sort out everything in my sleep, with some luck.

****


	9. Chapter 9

When Edward arrives, I'm already awake. Although I really needed rest (staying conscious for more than two hours is a hard task), my anxiety in seeing him since he disappeared without being poisoned and turning into a vampire keeps me up and alert.

He sits at the chair by my side much like he did the last time I'd been in that hospital.

"You shouldn't forgive me."

Of course. He knows I already did.

"There is nothing I can do. It was just an accident, and you were trying to save me. I'm alive and human because of you, and I know you have no fault in being what you are."

He purses his lips. I wish I could read his mind instead.

"The thing is that I have. I chose this. I asked - no, I begged - for Carlisle to bite me. I was dying. All I wanted was to live, even if bound by an undying thirst and urge to attack those around me. Do you see how selfish this is? And selfish it is of me to put you in danger for so long without telling you?"

I do. I do, I truly do, but...

"But you saved me. That day with the truck, and you saved me from James. I would be dead right now if it wasn't for you."

"I suppose so." he says. "Is there anything I can tell you to convince you otherwise about me?"

"I don't know. Is there?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

"Not that I can see..." He sighs. "Not at all, at least. I'm... I'm glad."

"Why?"

He looks silently at me for some moments before saying: "I don't know what I would do with myself if you somehow rejected me. Perhaps then death would seem like a happy place."

A reply doesn't come around my lips. I just mumble incoherently for some time.

He smiles to his lap and goes on: "I know you are surprised. It's just that you have accepted me so entirely, even more so than Carlisle... You got under my skin. So quickly. And so devastingly."

"I... I'm going to grow old and die someday, Edward."

"Then I shall die with you. I can't grow any older, but I'll be with you even then."  
I lick my lips nervously. I'd be kidding myself if I can see a future with Edward. He knows this. At first, I thought him reading my mind was a bad thing, but now, not so much. Avoids tons of awkwardness, since I don't have to voice anything, nor find the right words to do so.

"If you let me." he says and checks his wrist watch. "My time is over and I can hear Carlisle walking up with the Blacks so I should be going. I'll show up tomorrow." He's gone with a cold kiss on my forehead.

Then indeed the Blacks appear.

"How are you doing, Bella?" Jacob asks, looking a bit tense.

I recall James' words about the wolves softening up and letting vampires live in the town.

"Mostly fine... Hm... Can I ask something? What's... What's up with all this? James told me about you softening up, letting the Cullens live here and I'm just... Lost. About everything."

Bill rolls his chair to closer to me, and says: "Long story short, it's not the first time vampires visited this land which has always been ours. Of course we are not in very good terms with their kind, however the Cullens are... How can I say it? Well behaved. It doesn't mean we don't keep an eye on them. Attack and hurting humans is their very nature, Bella."

"But... But they have minds, and consciences. They can feel guilt, can't they?"

"Nature is difficult to be ignored." Jacob replies. "When we don't turn to wolves very often things get ugly, I wonder what is like being constantly hungry for decades or centuries. It eats you alive, I suppose they go insane."

I sincerely hope not; the Blacks are a bit biased regarding vampires... Carlisle can perform surgery, he can literally cut and stitch people's guts without loosing control. It should be a hardship for him, however I don't think Carlisle will ever go insane.

Edward won't either.

OoOoO

And so the summer arrives. Edward and I are pretty solid regarding our relationship, albeit not as close as I wished. He came over for dinner a couple of times, but I never met his house... I understand now why he's scared of touching me, but I don't know why he's so reserved. It's all a bit frustrating, I must confess.

It's the first week of summer vacation, and we are sitting by the living room watching some dumb movie. I don't even know what it is about: all I can focus on is his arm wrapped around me, and his light caresses on my shoulder. I want to rest my head against his chest and snug closer, but I can't. I shouldn't, rather. So I remain still as a statue.

He can see what I want... And he can tell me if it's ok for me to do as I want.

Then my phone rings, breaking the tension.

"Just a second." I say and stand up to take off my cellphone from the back pocket of my jeans. Jacob's name is on the screen; I pick it up immediately. "Hey, what's up?"

"Listen, don't you want show up here someday? The weather is pretty warm and the lake's temperature is mostly... Well, not freezing. Do you mind swimming a little bit?"

His voice is a bit deeper. A bit, no. Quite deeper.

"I can't swim for my life, though."

"I'm a good teacher."

"Hm, in this case... I suppose I take the offer. When?"

"In two days."

"We have a deal." I say and hang up. Then I sit back where I was, without uttering anything. Edward probably heard the whole conversation loud and clear.

"Interesting proposal the dog has made you."

"He's nice, alright?" I snap. "Ok, maybe he has his problems with you, but he's being civil." I add in a softer tone.

"Civil. Alright. I can't see his thoughts right now, but I've seen a bit at the hospital. He thinks about you quite a lot."

"Are you implying what I think you are implying?"

"Exactly."

"He's a friend. Also, you know very well I don't think of him like that. I like La Push, and I enjoy his and his father's company. That's all. You know I am not lying."

Ridiculous jealousy.

"You know why I am jealous of him, right?" Edward asks a bit later, whispering. "He can touch you freely, without the fear of hurting you. It's... It's like we have a wall glass between us. There isn't such thing with him. It makes my blood boil that he can kiss you if he wants - and oh, be sure he wants - and I... Well, I can't. And I can see you are not happy with me in the slightest because I am so weak."

"It's a bit frustrating... Especially because I know you wouldn't hurt me."

"I... Listen, I should be going. I'll think about it. It's not as simple as it seems. But I promise... I promise I'll try my best." he says and within a heartbeat he's gone.

Oh-oh. That didn't go very well. Still I got a small victory. He will think about it, at least.

And I can go swimming with Jacob even though I am not really sure if I want it anymore. But I already said yes, I don't want to back down, especially because he'll blame Edward, and fighting is one of the least things I want in this moment.

Either way it'll be nice, it has been a lot of time since I last paid La Push a visit.

I hang around the living room until Julia arrives with Alex, then I go help her with dinner. After dinner I go to sleep as usual...

However, I find a unexpected guest waiting in my room, sitting at the desk's chair.

"Edward?!"

He nearly materializes in front of me and pushes me against the door. His cool body is pressed against mine, and I'm breathless. He rests his cheek against my temple and mutters:

"I've been thinking. I'd do anything to make you happy."

I wrap my arms around his neck.

"I love you." he continues and kisses my cheek, making a trail of light kisses until he reaches for my lips. He's ice cold, but I'm melting in his arms. My knees weaken, and I can't think of anything else but the feeling of his tongue wandering inside my mouth.

Oh wow.

The kiss is soon over, however.

"Easier than I thought." he smirks and disappears.

A blow of wind snaps me off of my shock: the windows are open.

It wasn't the first time Edward had been here, was it?


	10. Chapter 10

I'm not sure if I spent a few months or a few years without seeing Jacob. He grew up a couple - or more! - inches and when I hug him after getting off my truck, I feel stubbles on his cheek. He is bulkier, also, although still lean.

"What's... What's going on?" I ask. "Super speed puberty?"

I wish mine had been that quick, and while I was still in summer vacation.

He laughs and puts me on the ground again.

"Something like that." he replies. "It works differently for us."

Us. Shape shifters. Werewolves.

"Wow."

Jacob is sixteen and already killed a vampire. I will never be as accomplished as him, it seems. At least I'll learn how to swim, which is something. I don't own a bikini - I never went to beaches at Phoenix anyways - so I suppose a cotton shirt with shorts will do. Also I'm not very comfortable with being half naked close to Jacob though he doesn't seem to have problems with this and takes off his t-shirt rather quickly.

That's what I call a physique, I think to myself. He did bulk up while we were apart.

Probably Edward is going to see when we meet again. Oops.

He's not going to mind it I can only hope; especially because I haven't seen anything better. And by anything better I mean Edward shirtless.

I get my feet wet carefully by the border of the lake. The water isn't unbelievably cold, but not very warm either. Maybe Jacob can't feel cold easily. He's warmer than the average human. He soon splashes water at me... As he's already with water on his hips.

"I'm going, I'm going..." I reply, a bit annoyed, and walk further inside the lake, until the water hits my waist. "Alright, I'm here. What's my first lesson?"

"You have to learn how to float." Jacob says decisively. "Try to lay down and relax all your muscles."

"That's not going to happen." I retort.

"Come on, I'll be holding you."

I take a deep breath.

"Alright."

Then I take some impulse and release my feet from the stony ground of the lake. My body does float, and soon two warm hands are supporting my back and my right leg. Jacob grins when I close my eyes, entirely relaxed.

"You are not dying, see?"

"Haha. This is just the first lesson. I have plenty of time to drown yet."

"I won't let you." he mutters.

Ooooooookey-dokey then. After some time, he speaks again:

"Look, I will release you. Keep relaxed and you won't drown."

I nod, and then I don't feel his hands on my body anymore. I keep relaxed - after all, I can feel his breathing move the water around me - and take deep, slow breaths. It's nice, and relaxing... I could just stay like this all day long.

"So why didn't you tell you are a werewolf sooner?" I ask.

"Would you believe me?" he replies with mockery. "Also in which danger did I put you for not telling?"

"None, but..."

Thanks heavens I need to stay relaxed, otherwise I would be pretty tense because of what I am going to say. In a sense, Jacob did put me danger - moreso than Edward - since James only kidnapped me to annoy the Quileutes. Edward wouldn't have bitten me if nothing of this happened.

And I want to know what else is up there that could hurt me.

Vampires? Check.

Werewolves? Check.

What else should I keep on my list?

"Look, you must have figured out why James did what he did." I say. " I mean... He didn't do it to hurt me, per se. He did it because I knew you and... And the pack. Could have been someone else."

I open my eyes and Jacob has a line between his brows.

"You are right. I didn't want to think about it but you are right... There is a reason why humans shouldn't know about this. Supernatural... Creatures... Are petty and know how to hold a grudge. Humans become easy targets then, but there is nothing I can do to make you forget about everything. Carlisle could and I've told him so."

My feet are on the ground again; I give up on floating.

"You told him to make me forget about Edward and yourself?"

"Well, I suggested it, of course. Then he told me you were too involved with Edward, and they argued before about telling you so you could know what you were doing. And... I thought he could make you forget you fell in love with Edward too." Jacob looked away. "But he said Edward wasn't going to give up and would be unethical for him to do so. I gave in, and I wonder if I made the right decision."

He spoke like he had some sort of authority upon me or something.

"What...? It's not yours or Carlisle's decision who I fall in love with. Glad he stood his ground!"

"You don't understand, it'll put you in danger."

"Maybe it'll put me in danger. After all, Edward is stronger than he first thought of. Besides... How could you have discussed these sort of thing with Carlisle?"

"That's because I am the leader of the pack. My dad was the former leader, but he got hurt in his werewolf form too badly to heal, which is why he's on the wheelchair now. The job of keeping the vampires away from this land fell onto me."

"The evil vampires you mean!"

He sighs. "The evil vampires, you annoying little girl." He splashes water in my face, then.

I sigh too. I can't get mad at him for too long. I know in the end of the day he's just trying to protect me, and either way, I put some sense into his head.

"Glad that we made an agreement." I say and get my revenge, hitting a splash of water right on his face.

OoOoO

The swimming lesson ended very well: Jacob is doing his best to accept my relationship with Edward, and I couldn't feel happier I'd get to keep both. We scheduled another one in two weeks.

"So... Everything went smoothly as I can see." Edward says, looking into my eyes and walking inside my house.

"Yes, it did." I reply with a grin.

"Good. Get dressed. We are going to dinner at my place."

I raise an eyebrow.

"I mean, you are." he adds in a mutter. "Come on, I'll tell Charlie. Put on something nice."

"You are the boss."

I run upstairs. Something nice. Something nice. I don't have something nice! Not nice enough for a dinner with Edward! I mean, we are going to his house and it's a special occasion. Another big leap in our relationship.

My closet is neatly organized and I don't take long to find the prettiest coat and top I own. With some jeans and leather boots, I'm looking fairly decent. Through my window I can see Edward is already waiting by the car.

"I'm going!" I shout, then I go to the bathroom to brush my hair and pass on some rose lip gloss. I bought it because chapped lips became a problem since in the night before, Edward kissed me...

"Shall we?" Edward mocks and open the door of the car for me when I arrive at the front yard.

"Yes, sir."

We leave town to get to Edward's house. It's actually a cabin, up in the nearby mountains between Forks and La Push. The road doesn't even have concrete - it explains why Carlisle's car is actually a truck with a very nice suspension.

"Not much." Edward says when I step on the moist yard in front of the wood house. "But it's home."

"I think it's perfect."

Inside, there is just a great room which works as living room, dining room and study it seems, and then the kitchen is separated by a counter. A door leads to the bathroom I can only suppose, and there are stairs leading to the only bedroom of the house, which had no walls but the house's own.

"Carlisle is at the hospital." Edward tells me.  
"Oh." is all I can say. Edward isn't planning what I think he's planning, right...? Can vampires even have erections?

I blush right after I think this. He can see my thoughts.

He merely smirks however and goes to the kitchen, dodging from the piles and piles of books. Carlisle needs a bigger house, I notice then, because books are everywhere. Nearby the TV, a human skeleton stands with his left arm up as if he's saying hello.

"Carlisle calls her Miss Smith. Says she's a very old companion."

I frown.

"Really?"

"Yeah. He never explained me what's up with that." Edward shrugs. "Uhh... You can sit down by the couch if you are not creeped out by that."

I sit down by the couch either way and hear the sound of cutlery being put upon a table.

"You bought food just to feed me?" I ask, looking over my shoulder to see Edward serving a rather delicious smelling roasted chicken at the center of the table.

"No. We have to buy food. People can be pretty nosy at times." he explains. "Then the Seth Clearwater comes to pick it all up and donate to the poor of the town. Come on."

I then take a place by the table. For dinner I have roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, a green salad... And soda. Edward pours himself a glass of wine however.

"Isn't illegal?" I ask.

"I'm way over 21, Bella." he says and swallows a veeery large sip, teasing me with his eyes.

"Not fair."

I wasn't very interested in getting drunk before because I never left the house anyway, though... Wine seems rather tasty. I have a bite of the chicken plus a little bit of the potatoes and they taste divine. Edward keeps on sipping on his wine.

"I thought vampires couldn't-"

"Well, we can." Edward says. "The thing is that the reason humans like food is purely chemical. This doesn't affect us because our food is human blood. Vampires tend to hate human food after realizing it doesn't work to keep their bellies full. However alcohol still has some effects... It depresses our nervous system, not as much as it does to humans. It's like getting drunk but having no hang over, and also not passing out. We don't go past the euphoria phase no matter how much we drink. So..."

He sips the wine again.

"You are teasing me. You are definitely teasing me."

"What? No way! You are the one fascinated for things you shouldn't have."

He doesn't mean only the wine, clearly.

"You always give me them in the end." I say, mocking but still with a base of truth. He did kiss me because I wanted to.

"Try not to get too hungover." He goes to the kitchen and returns with an empty wine glass. Then he pours what is enough for four sips maximum. "There. This is all. Puppy eyes don't work with me, young lady."

The wine is very tasty and sweet. The glass is gone within few minutes, although I intersect drinking with eating. I heard an empty stomach plus alcohol is not a very good combination. When I finish everything, I'm a bit light headed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Perfectly fine. Can I have some more wine?"

Edward studies me and then says: "Alright." He pours half a glass for me.

That was easy.

"So. Does Miss Smith keeps smiling like that all day long?"

"Carlisle's things. He's weird." he confides me. "But he's a good man."

I laugh. It looks like Miss Smith is grinning at me.

"Miss Smith is very funny."

"You are drunk." Edward observes.

"I'm fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine." I drink the rest of the wine in one sip. "And you are boring for not letting me have some more. Aren't you hot, by the way?"

I laugh and take off my coat.

"Oh, I forgot." I lean forward and whisper in his ear. "You are dead. Dead people can't feel heat." Then I laugh like I just told the funniest joke ever. I am drunk, definitely drunk.

"You are a funny drunk person. Tell me more."

He fills my wine glass, then.

"What? Weren't you the most boring boyfriend ever a few minutes ago?" I argue though I gulp down half of the glass. "What happened?"

"I told Charlie you'd be sleeping here." he explains. "You can get a little drunk, just don't get too hungover tomorrow, please."

"I will try my best. Isn't there anything stronger?"

"With some luck there's tequila around the house."

"Tequilaaaaa!" I shout, a bit too excited. "What are you waiting for, go get it!"

Edward left half wine bottle unattended beside me. Well, I could have some fun with that before the tequila arrives. When he comes back I've decided it was too hot for my top and my jeans. Also dancing on top of the table seemed like something to do to kill time.

"Come dance with me, Edward!"

He appears right by my side.

"Wow you are scaaaary." I say and take the bottle of tequila away from his hands, take the lid off and have two large sips. The bottle is missing a quarter of its content, then. The tequila burns like hell and I spit it up, soaking my torso and bra.

"We can't let that go to waste, can we?" Edward says. He's voice is different; an ominous whisper. He's behind me, and I can't fell his breathing. He forces me to turn around and kiss my collarbones, makes a trail of kisses down my stomach, my hips, and lastly my inner thighs.

I feel a familiar pair of fangs ripping through my skin and all goes black.


	11. Chapter 11

"Ouch..." I murmur when I wake up and sit on my bed. My head hurts, my stomach is incredibly upset, however I can't remember anything as to why I am like this. The way to the bathroom is painful and slow - my right leg hurts, I'm desperately clumsy and stinking... Like tequila?

The smells triggers my memories.

Alright.

I went to have dinner with Edward at his place. Saw Miss Smith, had some dinner, had some wine and then is when the tequila comes in but I can't remember further, and why my right leg hurts is still a mystery.

But when I take off my pants at the bathroom it becomes clear why: a giant bruise paints good part of my thigh purple, and it seems to get darker in my inner thigh. I twist my thigh around and find that the origin of it all is two round wounds.

My nausea suddenly becomes overwhelming and I have to run to my toilet to empty my stomach in violent spasms. A few seconds later, while I'm still busy doing the job, a cold hand holds my hair in a ponytail, and another one caresses lightly my back.

I should want to protest, though I find out that I can't. Once my stomach is empty, Edward puts me on my feet and takes me to my sink to wash my face. I'm so damn helpless I take his help although he bit me yesterday, somehow.

"Y-you bit me." I say as he takes me back to bed.

"I did. And I'm sorry. Can you... Remember what happened?"

I release a sigh of relief when I lie down in my bed again.

"No. Care to fill me up?"

Edward sits at the edge of my mattress.

"It's like I said, we have to go slow. You were drunk and insisted on doing inappropriate things and I can't say no to you. Don't ask me for anything that might put you in danger, Bella, because I can't deny you anything."

I hug my knees. Edward is probably more upset about this than I am. I just can't quite process that he actually bit me - and apparently I ended up making him do so.

"You are not upset now, but your head is still foggy. You will be mad soon enough." he continues. "And I'm not if I can live with that because all I wanted was to make you happy. It turned out a bit wrong, but I am disgusted by myself more than enough right now. Also..." He purses his lips, as if he him wanted to throw up, though I imagine he just trying to prevent a vomit of words to come out of his mouth. At least I hope he doesn't throw up because cleaning blood of my carpet will be a bit tricky. "Please don't tell anyone. If Carlisle ever finds out I bit you, he will..."

"He will what?"

"Take me away. Punish me. I'll spend decades without seeing anyone and probably will never see you again. That's what happens when I lose control. It's unspeakable."

I bit my lower lip in frustration. Turns out I can't deny him either...

It was an accident that won't happen again if I don't try to trespass Edward's boundaries. Plus at least he knew when to stop and I don't feel like I lost gallons of blood anyway.

"Alright." I finally agree. "I promise I won't... Ask for anything that will put me in danger again."

"Thank you." He leans over to give me a kiss in my forehead then he vanishes in thin air, leaving behind a slight breeze and my windows open.

The days go by and I don't hear much of Edward. He's clearly avoiding me, of course. Though I try not to mind, he has his reasons. When he shows up again, is shortly after Jacob sends me a text reminding me we are supposed to go swimming tomorrow however...

The bruise turned yellow-ish and clearly there was a giant bruise in my thigh before. Not to mention the wounds are not gone. Jacob is not thick, he'll put the pieces together within no time. He was somewhat right about Edward.

Although he missed when he thinks Edward can't feel guilty and see how wrong it is.

I am not sure if he'll keep secret like I did.

"You can't go swimming with Jacob." Edward says to me.

"I realize there would be a slight problem with it, yes. I am not sure of what to tell him, I mean... If I tell him I'm ill, he will probably come over, and I can't think of a reason not to go since I really liked the lake. And he knows as much."

"It turns things slightly difficult." Edward then goes silent, pondering over a solution. "Then again you can't go if you have a date with me."

"That will piss Jacob off. And he will think you are stopping me from seeing him... Which is what you are doing, though there are more factors to this equation."

"Alright, look, it's not like you can't see each other. He just can't see your thigh. If you manage to see him with pants, then it's alright. I suppose werewolves don't have x-ray vision."

I laugh. "No, I suppose not. Then I'll reply him telling I want to go shopping or something."

"That's much better, thank you. I don't want him finding out or else he'll tell Carlisle right away... And I-I don't want that."

Oh wow. Edward is a vampire with superhuman strength and greatly developed senses, you wouldn't expect such person to be vulnerable, but he was. I wonder what Carlisle does to him.

"Don't get me wrong, Carlisle is a good person. He's trying to save me as bad as he can, but the thing is I know what I did is wrong. I don't want to get punished over a fuck up that won't happen again."

"I don't want that either."

With that, he jumps out of the window and disappears. I sigh and grab my phone, to then punch in the keyboard a message to Jacob:

Not in the mood of swimming. What about

I hesitate there. Inviting him to see a movie might be too risky, and I'm not sure of what I am going to buy that justifies him coming with me to buy it.

a baseball game? Call Quil and Embry, this time I'm playing to win.

Bella

A few minutes later comes the reply.

Deal. I can't wait to kick their asses.

Fooling Jacob was easier than I thought of...

OoOoO

Quill, Embry and Jacob are already waiting for me at the clearing when I arrive. Jacob is now more leveled up with them, and as he is so young, he will probably be even taller and stronger. The leader of the pack, I remember.

Sweet.

"Hello guys."

Embry smirks mischievously at me as greeting. Oh yes. I regret choosing baseball now. And, unfortunately, I'll regret it even further later. I had to run between bases after - finally - hitting a ball with my bat, Embry decides not to play fair and grabs me by my thigh.

My thigh with the bruise, which is still a bit ache-y.

That makes me go to the floor quite easily.

"Oh my God. Ouch!"

"Embry, I know you never play fair, but this is off limits." Jacob quickly intervenes, in very serious voice. He kneels beside me. "Did Embry hurt you too much?"

He did hurt me too much, but that was because of the bruise. Or the bite. Maybe it hit a muscle or a nerve. The pain scrambles my thoughts and I end up blurting out:

"It wasn't Embry."

A shadow per passes Jacob's face.

"Then who was?"

Oh-oh.

"I tripped. It was nothing serious."

"You tripped and hurt your inner thigh?" Embry observed with a raised brow. One of my hands is on top of the wounds. I quickly take it off and sit up. Not helping, Embry...

"No. I'm fine."

I stand up and my leg ends up giving in. Jacob holds me steady.

"Well, then we will call Carlisle to see what's up with it."

"I suppose." I manage to say even though in my head I'm screaming NO.

But if I slip up again and do scream no, I'll be in much more serious trouble. At least if I play it cool I can have my phone and text Edward telling about what happened. Carlisle must be at the hospital, so maybe Edward can run away or something...

Jacob takes me back to his house and lays me down on his bed. My backpack is nearby so I immediately grab my phone while he goes to the living room call Carlisle.

He knows and is going to call Carlisle.

Sorry.

I put my phone away right on time to hear:

"Carlisle. Bella is hurt, I wonder if you are free to come over here. Alright, thank you."

Jacob returns to his room, where I am lying down.

"Soon he will be here. Do you want ice or something to put on your leg?"


	12. Chapter 12

"I hear you hurt your leg." Carlisle says, sitting by the edge of my bed.

"A bit, yes."

Jacob is sitting on his desk, arms tightly crossed on his chest. Hard to remember he is supposed to be sixteen. I realize I must make this as long as I can, or else Edward won't have time enough to escape.

"Well, I was playing baseball with Jacob, Quil, and Embry - I'm actually getting fairly good at it - then I was trying to make a home run because I hit the ball with the bat and-"

"With all due respect, I know what happened. And I know you weren't hurt playing baseball, Bella." He sighed. "You are going to let me see it. I'm pretty sure you know what that entails."

I blush furiously. No way I'm going to take off my pants.

Carlisle rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "I´m a doctor, Bella. I see naked people all the time. Jacob doesn't... Which is why he is going to leave the room if it makes you more comfortable."

"But-"

"You know you can trust me." Carlisle cut him off.

Jacob swallowed hard and looked at me.

"Please, Jacob." I say. He leaves without a word, but definitely a killer glare on Carlisle's direction. He might think Carlisle is not trustworthy because he's a vampire but come on... He makes surgery on people. Not to mention he punishes Edward to make him stay on line.

I don't even want to think about what he does to Edward or else I might as well hate him.

"Can you take it off alone?"

I can't, but I nod. A few failed tries will give me more time. I limp towards the desk - my leg hurts like hell - and rest my weight there. Carlisle is, gladly, looking away. Opening my ziper is easy. Sliding down the pants, however... I can't rest any weight on the hurt leg, not enough.

"Why can't you just take them off lying down?" he suggests.

It would be easier. That is the problem.

"Seriously, I know it sucks but I really have to see your leg and whatever happened to it if it hurts this badly." Shit. He can't read my mind but he's not stupid. Then again he must be older than Edward, much older. One would expect people this old to be clever.  
I try to limp and once again, my leg fails me. Carlisle suddenly appears by my side and take me back to bed on his arms. He looks scrawny but boy he is strong.

"Right, let me help you." While he slides off my pants my eyes are on the ceiling. My face must as red as tomato soup. Alright, this turned in a weird and uncomfortable direction. "When did this happen?"

"Roughly two weeks ago."

"Where?"

"Y-your home."

Carlisle looks away and runs his fingers through his hair, messing it up even more. Suddenly he looks much older than what he seems to be. He looks tired. Disappointed. Angry.

"Why didn't you tell me, Bella? This time he didn't hurt you seriously but he could have."

I ponder for a few moments. Will he put someone to watch me if he suspects I'm actually helping Edward? Probably. And I don't want to be watched or else I won't be able to talk to him again. Maybe he'll look on my phone.

"I was afraid." I lie.

"You don't have to be." Carlisle assures me.

I know. It was my fault Edward bit me.

"I'm taking you home." he finally says. "You'll have to rest that leg for a while and... And I suppose I'll have to have a little talk to Edward."

"Will you take him away?"

"That's the first thing I'll do."

Hopefully he should be far away by now... I mean, I suppose he can run very fast. I don't even understand how can he go out in the sunlight.

"Hm, just a question. Doesn't the sunlight bother you?"

"It makes us weaker." he says while so easily picking me up on his arms. "But as you can see it doesn't make much of a difference... The darkness is just better for us."

When I'm back to my own room, Carlisle tucks me in.

"I'm very sorry he did this to you."

I am, too, because otherwise this whole mess wouldn't have to happen. However I hope that Edward escaped... Looking at Carlisle's stern face, I can tell he would be able to do horrible things to whoever hurt innocent people. That should be a good thing, but I wonder if he would understand if Edward explained him what happened.

Probably not, if Edward wanted so much to keep it secret.

I pick up my phone when Carlisle leaves my bedroom. Nothing from Edward.

Half an hour later, the Blacks and Carlisle leave.

And Edward shows up, by the window.

"What happened?" I exclaim.

"I ran away. Listen, I must go before the Blacks show up again to vigil your house."

"When will you be back?

He smirks at me: "Does it matter?"

"Well, it does! I couldn't stand being apart from you..." I whisper.

"You don't have to. Come with me. I have some cash, and I can get fake documents for us within no time. We could go anywhere you want. Paris, London, you name it."

What do I have to lose?, I think.

His smirk grows to a grin. "Let me pack you some clothes." In a hearbeat he's back with my backpack on hands. "You'll have to climb on my back. I'm afraid I'm afoot for now."

OoOoO

I hold on tight to him and close my eyes. It has been two hours since we left home, and it feels like centuries. The speed leaves me nauseous, and the sound of the wind is deafening. Edwards runs without rest, and then his speed slows down and down until I can open my eyes without wanting to throw up, and I can see we are in a forest. But it can be nearby Forks, can it?

"We left Washington. We are nearby Portland, Oregon."

"Oh."

He's merely walking now.

"We will have to spend the night in a tent I set up right over there." He points to his left, and a few feet from us, there is a tent. "Then we'll go to Portland. I need to use the internet to contact anyone to make us fake documentation... And then we'll have to go to pick them up. Then we'll be free to leave the country."

"But can't they smell us, somehow...?"

"No. I used some of your clothes to create fake trails in different directions, that will hold them off for the night."

He lets me go to the ground once we are right in front of the tent. I limp inside and sit down on top of one sleeping bag. There's a pile of junk food. Sodas, Doritos, different brands of chocolates... Crap snack foods. Anything a girl could wish for.

"Uh... This is food for you." he explains, sitting across me in his sleeping bag. He grabs a can of Coke, opens it up and gives it to me. I accept it and take a sip.

"Shouldn't we make a bonfire? It's dusk already."

"No. I better not call attention to our presence here. I can deal with any danger that we might face, trust me. By the way..." He lites up a eletric lamp between us.

Another sip of the Coke goes down my throat, and I blink. My sight isn't quite right. The tent is dancing around me. I rub my eyes.

"What's wrong?" Edward asks me.

"I don't know. My sight is... Weird."

"Is it?"

His voice sounds amused and has a pinch of irony to it.

I try to focus but whatever is happening to me, is scrambling my thoughts. My sight starts to tunnel, in a few moments I'm so numb that I can't even process anything. But of one thing I'm sure: I got myself in a big trouble.

A.N.: I'll be able to post only in the weekends right now.

Guest: Wait and see.


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